James Gurney

This daily weblog by Dinotopia creator James Gurney is for illustrators, plein-air painters, sketchers, comic artists, animators, art students, and writers. You'll find practical studio tips, insights into the making of the Dinotopia books, and first-hand reports from art schools and museums.

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or by email:gurneyjourney (at) gmail.comSorry, I can't give personal art advice or portfolio reviews. If you can, it's best to ask art questions in the blog comments.

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All images and text are copyright 2015 James Gurney and/or their respective owners. Dinotopia is a registered trademark of James Gurney. For use of text or images in traditional print media or for any commercial licensing rights, please email me for permission.

However, you can quote images or text without asking permission on your educational or non-commercial blog, website, or Facebook page as long as you give me credit and provide a link back. Students and teachers can also quote images or text for their non-commercial school activity. It's also OK to do an artistic copy of my paintings as a study exercise without asking permission.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

When I was asked to design the World of Dinosaurs stamp issue (1996), I painted two panoramic settings for the individual stamp subjects. The top one was Jurassic and the other was Cretaceous. I keyed the colors differently to separate them.

I developed the design in a charcoal comprehensive drawing that I showed to the various paleontological consultants for their input and approval.

It was vitally important that the dinosaurs, insects, and plants in each panorama were all known from the same geologic formations and so would have lived together in the same time and place.

Having worked out the plan in charcoal (bottom), I felt a lot more confident when I went to the final oil painting (top). In most natural science illustration, it's essential to present the art in a comprehensive, intermediate step that is sent out for approval by the scientists.

This was probably the only final stamp artwork that was ever worked on en plein air. I had to go outside in the forest to paint the ferns, because I discovered that cut ferns wilt too fast. The painting was less than 24 inches wide and painted on flexible Bristol board so that it could fit on the drum scanners of the time.
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For for a detailed, behind-the-scenes look at how I do paleoart, check out my new DVD "How I Paint Dinosaurs" from Kunaki.com.
Digital download (HD 720p) at Gumroad (credit card) or Sellfy (Paypal). buy

“How I Paint Dinosaurs is a fascinating, detailed look into the making of the masterful dinosaur creations of James Gurney. I loved following his creative process, from the initial ideas, through the scientifically informed and accurate paleo-reconstructions, to the final stunning artwork. I found this video to be extremely informative and creative, and I have to say that I was completely inspired to draw dinosaurs!”

This is my favorite set of stamps ever. I re-did my office but I still had to hang them up because I love them so much and admire their individual compositions as well as their WHOLE composition so much - Here's a pic of them hanging - Thanks so much for the fun information on them, Jim!https://www.evernote.com/shard/s165/sh/ad50e3a9-6a40-4d10-bfec-69b8eda8b527/b0da1c0943e52248345f732d2806e9a4

I just finished watching your painting video and I have 2 quick questions? Do you prime your illustration board with gesso before you draw or is the matte medium enough to prevent absorption? Also, how do you prevent warping?

Hi, Hasani,No I don't prime the board first. I like the way the illustration board takes the pencil. It doesn't warp because I'm using a heavyweight board. If you do get warping, do the same thing to the back that you do to the front, or even just wet the back (don't do an 'X' as some people recommend because that makes a different kind of warping).

Mr James, If I ever get back to charcoal drawing I use the Generals also. During the 90s when i use to take classes everybody used the RITMO charcoal pencils.They were smooth, silky and easy to erase. I think towards the end of the decade they changed ownership and the quality wasn't the same imo. If theres anyone out there who can make charcoal just as smooth please do.

I got a little excited and ordered another set off of Ebay after this post...https://www.evernote.com/shard/s165/sh/eea9c657-dff3-41bb-8a17-ef337b48c88b/d9c10131304b6b5be5250cb50991bae9Jim - Have you seen that "First Day Cover" stamp of the brachiosaur before? And did you also design that? Very cool looking, either way - Thanks again for this great post!